Chapter 181: A Way to Win

Looking at Nicole, who was surrounded by her combat aura and was causing a mess on the battlefield, Andrés admired her.

Truly impressed not only by using this opportunity and moving up the ranks, but by Nicole’s own adaptability.

Now that young fighter was tenaciously facing her opponents and even when she found herself with an A-rank, she showed the ferocity that made those of the same rank fear her before.

At this time, she was demonstrating the qualities of her rank advancement and her strengths.

Fighting with a swordsman using her fists to protect herself from slashing attacks tinged with sword aura, Nicole exposed the strength of her body.

The combat aura surrounding her entire body was used as an armor that protected her from weaker attacks, but even that way she had a high endurance.

Regeneration had increased and minor cuts or superficial wounds healed to the naked eye over time.

She had gone through a real qualitative change.

“A tank that can repair itself,” Andrés declared with a smile.

He didn’t deny that he was slightly envious and more than envy, he was happy for his friend and partner’s achievement.

Since arriving from practice, Nicole was one of the few who prioritized training and kept it up all the time.

The tenacity and effort put into training finally showed effects.

That she moved up revealed that Nicole had talent as a fighter.

In that sense, Andrés felt the lack of possibilities in moving up and so he focused on learning like the old ‘hackers’, without using his skill.

Watching the combat that was slowly starting to unfold in favor of the two academies, Andrés frowned when his AI that was connected to him sent a report.

Closing the holographic combat screens, he pulled several computers out of the space ring and began checking the targets.

The crook-looking man was in a bar, the businesswoman was at her job, but the old man was the problem.

He was now at the Aetherium Academy hotel.

A radical change in the old man’s usual routines that he had completely memorized.

“Let’s see the cameras...” Andrés muttered, taking control of the hotel chambers.

These hotels were prepared by the emperor and had typical hotel security cameras, but they were available to those in authority.

Andrés could only frown as he watched the old man calmly walk up to the elevator.

On another computer, his AI was reviewing the old man’s history and nowhere did he find that the old man had a relationship with either Aetherium Academy students or teachers.

Both looked like two strangers to each other, and for that reason, Andrés kept watching the situation with a frown.

The kindly smiling old man walked as if he knew the place and then came to a room.

“This...” Andrés hesitated as he checked who this room belonged to.

A couple of minutes passed since the old man knocked on the door and then it opened, revealing Xu Long.

“I have a way for you to gain victory,” the old man declared before Xu Long could ask.

The young man’s gaze was cold and serious, looking surprised and wary, nevertheless, he let him pass.

Andrés, upon hearing those words, immediately looked for some way to listen in on the conversation, and his first option was to infiltrate computers or holographic clocks.

He first tried Xu Long’s holographic clock and halfway through the process, everything became impossible.

“They have activated an artifact that disables all devices,” murmured Andrés, understanding what had happened.

******

Xu Long watched the old man fiddling with a small device that had disabled all the electronics and activated a barrier.

“Who are you?” asked Xu Long, looking serious.

He was not fearful despite the unexpected situation and that was because he could sense the A-Rank strength of the old man.

“Didn’t I say so?” the elder asked and with a smile, he commented. “I am the person who will give you the possibility of victory.”

Xu Long’s expression became more serious, and the elder laughed at the sight.

“A very intense look for a loser.” The old man remarked with a kind smile and without caring about Xu Long’s deadly look he added. “You lost twice. Once, by being taken by surprise and in the other, you took a beating until you were almost dead.”

“How...”

“How do I know?” the old man interrupted and, with a bigger smile, he questioned. “Does it matter? In the end, you lost. That time it wasn’t because you were taken by surprise, it was because you were weak.”

Xu Long clenched his fists in anger and, although he was annoyed, he had nothing to say.

He could try to give himself excuses by trying to deny the truth, still, the challenges she participated in showed him the reality.

In the Spartan Challenge, Alice revealed immense skill when facing many enemies, and today, she exposed a high battle strength alone.

In the face of a massive spell attack, she withstood it alone.

Recalling that time she almost died, she realized that it was weakness.

Xu Long could say that she took him by surprise, but it was to such an extent that he ended up severely injured and was almost killed.

He almost died!

“She is not a student like you think. I’ve investigated her a bit, and she turned out to be a fairly well-known mercenary in Africa, but during this time, she has remained extremely hidden,” informed the old man and giving an amused smile, he detailed. “At her fifteen years of age, she was in Africa, a place surrounded by monsters, beasts, and dangerous lunatics... What do you think that means?”

Xu Long was silent, understanding that question.

At fifteen years old, Xu Long was in school and not in a place as dangerous as Africa.

There was a huge difference in the situations between the two.

The old man passed him an information crystal on which was engraved more information than his family had got when he asked them to investigate.

Alice’s superficial profile was mediocre and her information was scarce to such an extent that her former nationality did not appear and she was now only marked as a citizen of Zerzura.

Unknown parents and adoptive parents whose appearances were unremarkable.

An average family, average daughters, and a life so simple that it seemed unnecessary to keep it all bottled up.

However, when I looked at the old man’s information, things changed.

Alice was seen from the age of fifteen in Zerzura with a background that was more rumor than truth.

Innate ability was practically unknown, and what little there was general information.

It was marked that her personal security level was very high, and it was presumed that she was one of the upper echelons of Zerzura, the city that sprang up in Africa.

Still, with such a sketchy background, she had been seen in battles against warlords or conflicts against them.

Basically, they always seemed to be related to some warlord’s downfall and the last of those was the Somali Terror.

“Compared to you who, at that age, were playing in the academy. There’s a big difference.” Stressed the old man with a gentle smile.

It wasn’t too simple to call it a ‘difference’, both of them were practically in two different worlds.

Xu Long understood the reason why he trembled when Alice released murderous intent... How many people must she have killed indifferently to have that intent?

While he was in his academy literally ‘playing around’, the person who defeated him was in Africa, where he seemed to be involved in tricky matters.

“It took us quite a while to gather all this information, and I had to call in several favors from some acquaintances in the West African Republic. Don’t belittle this little of information. It just goes to show at what level they have hidden or concealed it.” Explained the old man with a serious tone.

Whether they hid it well or others hid it well, both were not good news.

Alice showed that her ability was superior and at the same time, caused a veil to envelop her.

What was her current ability?

Could he beat her?

The challenges were coming to an end and the next day would close with the computer tournament and at the same time, the duel between the two.

“You will not win. You will be embarrassed in your third defeat and will be a laughingstock. The rising star of the Xu family, shamefully defeated after mocking his opponent,” the old man commented and with a gentle smile, he added. “You will lose, and you know it. Against an expert who has possibly been an S-Rank for more years than you, you will lose.”

Hearing those words, Xu Long felt angry and annoyed, but in the end, he could do nothing.

After all, the old man was right.

Earlier he had been watching the Hero Academy’s group battle and had seen Alice chase the mage.

At no time did she transform into that creature and only employed the black arms behind her back, and it was very frightening.

How many cards was she hiding?

That question was impossible to answer.

In the end, if her background was minimally true, then the experience and ability of the two were like a chasm of difference.

“However, I have something that will lead you to victory.” The old man murmured with a gentle smile, and looking at Xu Long, he hesitated. “But to what extent will you be willing to go?”

Xu Long’s expression trembled.

This was a tournament, and it was just an insignificant game, but still... Even so, Xu Long was filled with anger.

His reputation was being torn to shreds, and he was now the mockery all over China.

The poor reputation caused problems for his family and caused them to be pressured by the other families.

Reputation was a matter of concern and even more so when he was the future head of one of the most important families in China.

Adding that his family’s businesses were meeting tragic ends while rival families were gaining opportunities with major companies, such as the Apicius company, his situation was critical.

Perhaps his family, in general, could recover, but he would suffer a great blow if he did not prove his ability.

He could even be disinherited and lose any chance of being at the helm of that great family.

The pressure, anxiety, and fear at the memory of the scene of his defeat combined and turned into a dense and cruel darkness.

In that darkness, the old man gave a gentle smile as if he was lighting the way.

“Just let me help you win.”

Xu Long was silent... And that silence represented the answer.

******

In the room where the students were arriving, everyone silently walked out of the battlefield.

The silence was not about because they lost; they had just won a great victory.

However, everyone was extremely exhausted.

Those who had been defeated were also waiting and only gave smiles upon seeing them arrive.

The healers came over to treat them, and everyone felt more invigorated.

Edward looked at Daniel and then looked at all the students and the magical beasts.

“We won,” muttered a student from the Cernunnos academy.

They all turned to look at each other and...

“We won!”

“Victory!”

Shouts full of fervor came from everywhere, letting us see how excited everyone was.

They were tired, but at the same time extremely excited about the victory.

Maybe it wasn’t an overwhelming victory and even though they were pushed to the limit and then pushed again, they eventually won.

“This was a disaster! Two rank promotions. One beat all her opponents until they disappeared as if she hated them deeply and the other released a toxic cloud that almost killed us all... Legendary!” Jaffar exclaimed with a tone full of excitement.

The young lady whose Chelonia had risen in rank and generated a toxic cloud-only gave a shy smile, while Nicole scratched her cheek.

Jaffar’s words were not a criticism, but he was genuinely surprised and excited.

Perhaps moving up to A-Rank was not as rare as moving up to S-Rank, but in this case and in this scenario, both created quite a commotion.

“And that flying eel next to the sky jellyfish? My god, I still can’t understand how they could use lightning to use it to their advantage!” Niels exclaimed in awe.

The lightning storm stayed in the eastern part where Edward was and his group had water mages next to those two magical beasts that used lightning to their advantage.

And no one could deny that the combined attacks were splendid.

“No, no, that was nothing. Have you guys seen an angry muscle bear! Well, you have to see it, it’s too scary!” said Frank, pointing to the muscle bear and its tamer lying on the ground.

The psionic who was only asserting himself on his resting companion gave a soft smile.

“I believe Edward and Alice were vital to the high-ranking victories. The swordsman I faced was very strong and if it wasn’t for Edward defeating the psionic and coming to my aid, I would have been in a difficult situation,” Daniel interjected with a serious and sincere expression.

Even among S-Ranks, there was a difference between them, and in this case, Daniel and Jane were unlucky to face a swordsman who was fast and deadly.

“A storm of lightning! I’d love to cast such spells.”

“That was nothing. Did you see Alice? She moved in the shadow of a guy! At the time, I thought I was watching a horror movie.”

Comments from students of the Cernunnos academy came in and those words made Edward laugh as he listened intently.

The fight was going on in four directions, and even he had trouble paying attention to all sides.

Still, he saw remarkable feats such as the performance of the Komodo dragon, the thundering gorilla known as Lucrecia, who was a shaman, and other students of the Cernunnos Academy.

“You guys really did an excellent job. That swordsman played pretty dirty, and you guys put up a great fight,” Edward said sincerely as he looked at Daniel and Jane.

The swordsman they faced did not distance himself to keep the S-Rank combat away from their area, but on the contrary, he attacked viciously without regard for his companions or his enemies.

His sword slashes were etched into the ground and some students or magical beasts were defeated while also ‘demons’ succumbed to those attacks.

That Daniel and his partner managed to lessen the casualties was remarkable.

“That was fun.” Alice declared, opening a bag of chips.

The statement received a stare from most of those present and that was because that young woman, though strong, wasn’t very talkative and didn’t interact too much.

“I had quite a bit of fun. I’m looking forward to the time when I get to face you guys.” Aurora said with a shrug without hiding the amused look.

Her words made everyone fall silent.

This was a temporary alliance and, even though both academies were united, they were still rivals in this tournament.

It was more, because of the overall strength of both academies, it was likely that they would end up facing each other.

For Edward, Alice mentioned it because that was her way of showing playful fun.

Those words brought both groups of students back to reality and...

“Ha, yes, I want it too!”

“Please don’t let him touch me with you. I’ll have nightmares.”

“I don’t want to face the muscle bear.”

“I want to face the steel rhino and Alvis.”

Students from both academies gave their commentary, some being positive and some being quite pessimistic, but both groups were quite cheerful.

Regardless of who they would face, a match with a powerful opponent was always fun.

It was true, they both knew each other’s ability, but that only made it more entertaining.